Question: how it is possible for real disposable incomes to fall by 5.3 per cent, yet personal consumption to rise by 3.2 per cent? (That’s on an annualised basis, by the way). It smells of debt, doesn’t it? Or consumers finding new confidence, or – dare one utter the words – of a bubble in the making. Yet this is what happened in the US during the first quarter of this year.

Here is another question. How is it possible, under the current economic conditions for government spending to...Read More

Last week saw good news on US GDP, with the data pointing to 2.5 per cent expansion in Q1.

This week may well tell another story.Tuesday (30 April) will see the latest consumer confidence index from the University of Michigan’s Conference Board, another measure that has been looking...Read More

“We are all Keynesians now,” or so said Milton Friedman in 1965. Later, President Nixon said: “I am now a Keynesian in economics”, and popular misconception has thrown up the view that it was Nixon who made the comment about us all being Keynesian.

It was the best year since the heady day of the mid-noughties for the venture capital business. At least it was the best year for Venture Capital Trusts (VCTS), which is not necessarily the same thing, although it should be a pretty good guide.

It has $144 billion in cash. Over the next few years it will no doubt bring in much more cash. Between now and 2015 it is giving away $100 billion in share buy-backs. That is no problem for Apple. Yet, to fund the share buy-back, Apple is going to have...Read More

Each month, UK government borrowing is either up, or down. It is difficult to draw any conclusions, because so many things have an impact on the data. But public borrowing figures released in April are different. They tell us the scale of government borrowing over the course of the previous...Read More

Yesterday was the day of flash composite PMIs. That is to say it is when we see the release of early estimates of Purchasing Managers’ Indices covering manufacturing and services. And to remind you, the magic score is...Read More

In Monty Python, it was brave Sir Robin who did that. He bravely turned his head and fled – he ran away. Apple, the brave, the company that has changed computer hardware and consumer electronics; Apple the company that is a master of disruptive technology, the company that has redefined...Read More

Debt, stocks, restaurant, economics, portfolio, religion, cancer. You can sort of see the link between some of those words, but not all. But there is a link apparently, and the link is with stock market performance.

Take the word debt. If there is a decrease in search engine traffic...Read More

According to data from Lloyds TSB, the sales of homes worth over one million pounds hit 7,397 in 2012, which was the highest level since 2007. Is this a sign of a recovering economy or is it a case of economics for the one per cent?

Twenty seven per cent! For those under 25, the unemployment rate is 57 per cent. These are staggering numbers. Spain’s government debt is out of control, not because it is wasting money, but because so few of its workforce have jobs.

Two against and – rather oddly – one in favour. Two of the absolutely top figures in the Eurozone political scene have called for less austerity. Rather puzzlingly though, the IMF – so quick to urge and end to austerity in the UK – has not gone along with the...Read More

The results are due out today. Markets are not hopeful. The company, which until a few weeks ago was the largest in the world by market cap, is expected to do the unthinkable and announce a fall in profits.

Victor Basta, managing director of Magister Advisors, had some advice...Read More